UAE Moves to Replicate Sudan’s Rapid Reaction Forces in Yemen
The English section of webangah News Agency, citing Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper via Mehr News Agency, reports that recent international warnings about transferring Sudan’s “Rapid Support Forces” model to Hadramawt province have coincided with escalating clashes between Emirati-backed armed groups and the Saudi-supported Hadramawt Tribal Coalition.
This escalation has sparked widespread political and public anxiety over the potential outbreak of armed conflict in this oil-rich province.
The tension worsened after the UAE-affiliated southern Transitional Council (STC), through Abu Ali Al-hadrami, commander of the elite Hadramawt Protection Forces, threatened to attack the Tribal Coalition forces guarding Hadramawt. They accused these forces of advancing foreign agendas aimed at strengthening separatist projects within Yemen.
The Saudi-backed coalition seeks autonomy for Hadramawt under the leadership of Sheikh Amr bin Hubaysh. The coalition challenged threats from Emirati forces and vowed to expand its influence across all provincial territories.
It also announced plans to establish tribal resistance and launch field operations to expel foreign or non-local forces from Hadramawt. The coalition contends that Emirati mercenaries do not represent Hadramawt and are composed of personnel from other provinces.
In a statement released yesterday, the coalition called on the “Hadramawt Protection Forces” to take immediate action against any invading external forces. It stressed that any foreign deployment in Hadramawt constitutes occupation and will be met with forceful resistance.
Meanwhile, Emirati mercenary groups declared a state of heightened alertness, deploying hundreds of armored vehicles around Mukalla-the provincial capital-and threatening attacks on oil fields controlled by their rivals.Meanwhile,tribal leaders convened yesterday to announce full alert status. They instructed military and tribal units to deploy along key oil plateaus and eastern borders.
The tribes emphasized they would not allow chaotic scenarios seen elsewhere in Yemen’s provinces to repeat in Hadramawt. The Tribal Coalition condemned Emirati mercenary movements toward their territory and urged Riyadh for immediate intervention “to prevent an explosion of tensions.”
The coalition also warned it might escalate clashes from plateau areas into Mukalla city itself as well as territory under STC control along the southern coast.
According to sources close to allied factions, Abu Dhabi ordered its affiliated transitional forces to pursue a plan aimed at seizing control over strategic oil plateaus by cutting supply lines originating from Saudi Arabia while initiating internal moves for domination over vital installations throughout Wadi Hadhramaut and desert routes leading into provincial wilderness areas.
Sources revealed that Al-Hadrami has attempted outreach toward desert tribe sheikhs controlling roads toward Saudi borders while concurrently calling up special Emirati mercenary units from Aden,Abyan,and Shabwa provinces for fresh deployments deep inside Hadhramaut territory.
This unfolds amid confusion within Aden’s proxy government which responded only by dismissing Mubkhut bin Mazy-Hadhramaut governor loyal solely to UAE-and appointing Salem Al-Khanbashi former deputy prime minister as his replacement; a move seen insufficient so far at containing growing unrest.
